1. SQL Language Reference
  2. Functions
  3. PERCENT_RANK

PERCENT_RANK

Aggregate Syntax

percent_rank_aggregate::=

Description of percent_rank_aggregate.eps follows
Description of the illustration percent_rank_aggregate.eps

Analytic Syntax

percent_rank_analytic::=

Description of percent_rank_analytic.eps follows
Description of the illustration percent_rank_analytic.eps

See Also:

"Analytic Functions" for information on syntax, semantics, and restrictions

Purpose

PERCENT_RANK is similar to the CUME_DIST (cumulative distribution) function. The range of values returned by PERCENT_RANK is 0 to 1, inclusive. The first row in any set has a PERCENT_RANK of 0. The return value is NUMBER.

See Also:

Table 2-8 for more information on implicit conversion

  • As an aggregate function, PERCENT_RANK calculates, for a hypothetical row r identified by the arguments of the function and a corresponding sort specification, the rank of row r minus 1 divided by the number of rows in the aggregate group. This calculation is made as if the hypothetical row r were inserted into the group of rows over which Oracle Database is to aggregate.

    The arguments of the function identify a single hypothetical row within each aggregate group. Therefore, they must all evaluate to constant expressions within each aggregate group. The constant argument expressions and the expressions in the ORDER BY clause of the aggregate match by position. Therefore the number of arguments must be the same and their types must be compatible.

  • As an analytic function, for a row r, PERCENT_RANK calculates the rank of r minus 1, divided by 1 less than the number of rows being evaluated (the entire query result set or a partition).

See Also:

Appendix C in Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide for the collation determination rules, which define the collation PERCENT_RANK uses to compare character values for the ORDER BY clause

Aggregate Example

The following example calculates the percent rank of a hypothetical employee in the sample table hr.employees with a salary of $15,500 and a commission of 5%: 

SELECT PERCENT_RANK(15000, .05) WITHIN GROUP
       (ORDER BY salary, commission_pct) "Percent-Rank" 
  FROM employees;

Percent-Rank
------------
  .971962617

Analytic Example

The following example calculates, for each employee, the percent rank of the employee's salary within the department:

SELECT department_id, last_name, salary, PERCENT_RANK() 
       OVER (PARTITION BY department_id ORDER BY salary DESC) AS pr
  FROM employees
  ORDER BY pr, salary, last_name;

DEPARTMENT_ID LAST_NAME                     SALARY         PR
------------- ------------------------- ---------- ----------
           10 Whalen                          4400          0
           40 Mavris                          6500          0
              Grant                           7000          0
. . .
           80 Vishney                        10500 .181818182
           80 Zlotkey                        10500 .181818182
           30 Khoo                            3100         .2
. . .
           50 Markle                          2200 .954545455
           50 Philtanker                      2200 .954545455
           50 Olson                           2100          1
. . .